GST — From Baby Clothes To Coffins

by Alia Ali OTTAWA (CUP) — Almost 1000 people gathered on. Parliament Hill Monday to protest the federal government’s proposed Goods and Services Tax.

The “axe-the-tax” rally at- tracted angry protestors, who chanted slogans and listened to an array of speakers encouraging them to form a national coalition to get rid of the tax, and then Brian Mulroney and Michael Wil- son.

The proposed nine per cent federal tax, to replace the existing 13.5 per cent manufacturer’s sales tax in the new year, will cover everything from baby clothes to

coffins. Representatives from the Lib-

eral and New Democratic par- ties promised to fight the pro- posed tax. Lorne Nystrom, NDP finance critic, said his party is “launching a national campaign to scrap the tax.”

Various members of Parlia- ment and businessmen said the GST will jack up prices, inflation, interest and unemployment rates.

Students will also see an over- all rise in such education costs as tuition, textbooks, and trans- portation, said Dave Pimm, a part-time political science stu- dent, and member of the Young Liberals at Carleton.

He said he wondered whether the student aid programs will be increased to compensetz for the tax.

“The government hasn’t said so,” he explained. “They’re going to shut students out of school.”

Calling the GST “an assault on Canadians,” Mac Harb, Lib- eral MP for Ottawa Centre, en- couraged Canadians across the country to “say yes to a good in- vestment in the future of Canada, but no to a tax that will rob Canadians of their dignity.”

Reverend Dale Soble of the First Baptist Church in Ottawa said the GST is a “moral issue” as well. Soble said the tax will “promote selfishness, alienation, human fear and hardship.”

The rally was preceded by an entourage of approximately 150 taxis which were forbidden to drive by the Centre Block by RCMP officers. The drivers are worried that the proposed tax will increase their operating costs, drastically reducing their business. ;

“This will cause a decrease in the taxi drivers’ income. The real effect of the tax however, will be to put me and those I represent on the unemployment line,” ex- plained Mohammad Alsadi, Pres-

ident of the local union represent- ing Ontario’s taxi drivers.

It took about 30 minutes of negotiations between officers, Al- sadi, and the House of Com- mons Sergeant-at-Arms Gaston Cloutier before police allowed 30 cabs to drive by Centre Block.

Ron Melcher, of the Social

Planning Council of Canada, em- phasized that the new tax would make Canadians the most taxed people in the Western Hemi- sphere.

“It’s time for the government to realize Canadians simply can’t take. it anymore. Enough is enough.”

Tole

What’s long and hard and sinks into lots of strange things on weekends?

Buckwheat Hartinger’s new front tooth

Choose between the slopes of Vail. Colorado or the surf of Rio de Janeiro. Trip includes: Return airfare, hotel transfers. hotel accommodation and ski pass ‘Vail only.).Simply complete this entry form and affix two UPC Proofs of Purchase ‘or reasonable hand drawn facsimile not mechanically reproduced) from any flavour of Sugarless Dentyne gum and you could

DECISIONS. DECISIONS.

Choose Sugarless Dentyne For Fresh Breath And You Could Win One Of 10 Trips For 2 To Vail Or Rio!

Attach UPC proofs here.

« beon your way to VAIL or RIO! Deposit your entry in the ballot box at your school newspaper office or mail it to: Dentyne VAIL/RIO Sweepstakes, P.O. Box 9041E, Kitchener, Ontario N2G 4T2.

Contest closes January 15, 1990 at 5:00 pm. Draw to be held January 31, 1990

Dentyne SUGARLESS SAn jc gUCRE

Prizes must be accepted as awarded ‘Maximum retail value: $3500.00). Full contest rules are available at your school newspaper office or by sending a stamped. self addressed envelope to Dentyne VAIL/RIO Sweepstakes. P.O. Box 9041F. Kitchener, Ontario N2G 4T2

Canadi>n Holidays

Name School Address City Prov. Postal Code _ Phone

Thursday, November 9th,21989